Crank-case evaporator



F. l. COCHRANI.A CRANK CASE EVAPORATOR. APPLICATION msn FEB. 1s. 1920.

1,351,716, PatentedAug. 31, 1920.

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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A PARTNERSHIP COMPOSED 0F HARVEY'E. MACK AND FREDERICK I. COCHRANE.

ASSIG'NOR T0 CRANK CASE CRANK- CASE EVAP ORA'POR.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnnnnicx I. Coon- RANE a citizen of the United States, resident eapolis,'county of Hennepin, State of-Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in,4 Crank-Case Evaporators, of which the following is 'a specification. It often happens in the operation of an automobileor other motor vehicle that moisture will' accumulate in the crank case from leakage' around the pistons or from other causes, and forms an objectionable mixture with the oil in the case.

The object of my invention is to provide a device in the crank case, not for the purpose of heating the oil, but for raising the temperature ofthe crank case to cause evaporation of any moisture which may accumulate therein.

A further object is to heat the inside of the crank case to prevent condensation in cold weather of the moisture in the' exhaust l Vgases which leak into he crank case and mix with the oil. v

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description.

The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter describedV and particularly Apointed out in the'claims.

V:in the accompanying drawings forming Y part of this specification,

made of cast Figure 1 is a vertical -sectional view through a crankcase with my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional viewof the same.

In the drawing, 2 represents the crank the usual lowerA case of the engine having chamber or sump 8, above which is av 'horizontal plate .4 extending across the crank case substantially near the middle portion thereof. The level of the oil in the crank case is generally considerably below this plate- 4. To eliminate the objectionable moisture in the crank ing drum 5 mounted to project into the case beneath and preferably close to .the plate .4A

and generally above the level of the oil in the case. This drum or cylinder may be iron, brass, aluminum,

'Pipe 7 Vextends longitudinally within the drum on partition extending t same before erally out of case provide a heat.

specineauon einem Patent. Patented Aug. 31|, 1920.- Applicaton led February 1 6, 1920. Serial No. 358,913.' l

sheet metal, tubing or wrought iron pipe at one side communicating with the exhaust of the engine. A partition plate 8 the cylinder, preferably near the middle por tion thereof, dividing it centrally into passages end'of the drum. Through this vport the hot vgases flow from one side of thecentrally arranged partition plate to the lother. An outlet pipe 10 communicates with the drum and extends to a suitable discharge point where the hot gases are allowed to escape. The drum is placed in any position desired in the crank case or oil basin of any engine or motor using gasolene or hydrocarbon fuel, and secured .preferably by any suitable means to .the wall of; the casing and the drum may be of anygdesired diameter or length necessary to fit ihto the crank case or oil basin of any engine. The purpose of the hrough the drum is, of course, to serve as a baie-plate and compel the hot gases to follow a tortuous ath through the drums and heat the walls o the deliveryto the discharge opening.

As previously in'the upper part stated, this drum'is located of the oil basin and genheat waves radiating therefrom will flow out in all directions through the crank case and warm or heat the walls of the case and the plate 4, and cause the immediate evaporation of any moisture which may accumulate in the crank case from any cause. Usually this moisture lwill be due, in cold weather, to the condensation of the moisture in the exhaust gases leaking tween-the piston and cylinder walls, and moistureV may bepresent in the crank case from any other cause. The warm air created by the heating of the'drum wallswill cause the immediate evaporation of the moisture and keep the oil free from water, and similarly vany fuel passing into the case around the pistons will also be evaporated. The drum will also serve as a muffler t0 deaden the noise of the exhaust.

Instead of heating the drum from thev 'exf haust gases I may connect it with the water which are connected by a port 9 at one.

contact with the oil so that thel into the crank case bejacket of the engine or With the radiator or pipes of the cooling system, the water being circulated through the heating drum and returned to the cooling system by means of suitable valves, pipes or other connections.

I do not Wish to be confined to the particular form vof the heating drum herein shown or its location, as these features may be modified in various Ways, the idea of my invention being a means for evaporating any moisture or fuel in the crank case to prevent the mixture of either of them with the oil in the case.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination, with a gas engine crank case, of a member mounted to project into the case with a greater portion of its Walls above the level of the oil therein, means for circulating a heating agent through said member to heat the Walls thereof and evaporate the vmoisture Within said crank caser* 2. The combination, with a gas engine crank case having a lower portion adapted to contain a body of oil, and a plate separating the upper portion of the crank case from said body of oil, of a heat circulating member projecting into said crank case between said plate and the body of oil and contiguous to said plate, said members operating to evaporate the accumulated moisture Within said crank case and the fuelin the oil. l

3. The combination, With a crank case, of a cylinder mounted toproject therein with its Walls above the body of oil in said case, said cylinder having a' tortuous passage therethrough and means for connecting it With a heating agent for heating the Walls of said cylinder and evaporating the moisture in said case.

Il. The combination, with a gas engine crank case, of a cylindrical member mounted in the Walls thereof and having a tortuous passage formed therein, said member being normally above the level of the oil in said case, means for connecting said member 'with the exhaust of the engine and conducting the hot exhaust gases around andthrough said member for heating the Walls thereoi,4

the accumulated moisture in said crank case being evaporated by the 'heat from the Walls of said cylinder.

5. The combination, With a gas engine crank case, of a heating y'member mounted to project into the' case above the normal level of the oilvtherein, for evaporating the mois` ture in the crank case. i

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 12th da of Februar 1920.

FREDRI K I. COOHY ANE. 

